5 Things You Need to Consider When Renting a Portable Air Conditioner
If you are looking to stay cool in the summer months, a portable air conditioner might be your best option. However, there are some things that you need to consider when renting one. So, this post will go over 5 important factors that can affect how well your experience goes.
Electrical Requirements
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An air conditioner requires a power source to function. The electricity demand relies on the size of your desired unit, how often you want it on, and the wire type in your home.
If you have a power outage, your portable air conditioner rental will not work. Ergo, do not forget to check your power requirements before renting a portable air conditioner.
Maintenance Cost
Before renting a portable air conditioner, you’ll want to consider how much maintenance will cost. Portable ACs are for temporary use only and require regular service intervals that can be costly.
If you’re renting a portable AC for your home, be sure to ask about the cost of repairs and service intervals. Most companies will require that homeowners either provide proof or purchase an extended warranty that covers those services.
In most cases, it’s cheaper to buy than rent in terms of maintenance costs, but if you don’t need the AC for long, renting might be the better option.
Water Cooled or Air Cooled
Air cooled units are less expensive than water cooled. They also often have lower energy costs. However, air cooling may not be able to cool down a hot, humid room as quickly or effectively because the air passes over warm surfaces in its path before it reaches occupants of the space. This can make it more difficult for people with respiratory issues like asthma to breathe.
Water-cooled units are more expensive than air-cooled and require water lines, but they cool faster and better handle higher humidity levels. The downside of this type of unit is that it needs a dedicated source for an outside water line with no leaks or breaks, which can be challenging to find.
If you live in a hot, humid climate and want the option of cooling off quickly during power outages or emergencies, an air-cooled unit may not be able to handle your needs. This is especially important if you have respiratory issues like asthma since it will take longer for your space to cool down.
If you are looking for a long-term solution, water cooling may be the best option because it cools your space faster and is less expensive in most cases than an air-cooled unit.
Cooling Power
Renting a portable air conditioner means you need to figure out how much cooling power it will supply. You must do this to choose the best ac that will efficiently cool your house without breaking the bank.
The best way is to compare the BTUs of the unit against your wall socket’s capacity.
Then, you’ll have to factor in insulation, windows, and shading when deciding on what size AC you need for each room in your house. If all rooms are close in size but have different cooling needs, a portable AC with multiple modes will work well.
Venting Path
Inadequate ventilation is a common problem with AC units. If you notice that the air conditioner isn’t blowing cold air, it may be because of an insufficient venting path. The cooling coils inside your unit need to be able to cool down before they release heat into the room, and if there’s not enough space for this process, cold air cannot come out.
If you have a blocked venting path, you’ll notice that the coils don’t have enough space and will constantly overheat, which can lead to several problems like leaking refrigerant or burning out an AC motor prematurely.
So, ensure there’s plenty of room for air circulation by making sure these areas are not blocked or obstructed.
Conclusion
If you consider these five items, renting a portable air conditioner will be a stress-free process.
